international

Members of the Rotary Club of Farnborough approved the purchase of a Shelter Box for immediate dispatch to the stricken people of Pakistan.

From Graham Thomas Farnborough Rotary Club Member

Two more Shelter Boxes at a cost of £495, (money which was raised from profits of the Farnborough Donkey Derby and other fund raising activities locally) have been dispatched following requests from members with money provided from Club funds.

A further donation from our funds and personal donations for purchase of Life straws has been made, to build a total of approximately £2000 for the Pakistan Appeal.

The aptly-named LifeStraw is an invention that could become one of the greatest life-savers in history. It is a 25 cm long, 29 mm diameter, plastic pipe filter and costs just a few dollars. It is a personal, low-cost water purification tool with a life time of 700 litres – approximately one year of water consumption for one person. The original idea was created ten years ago by Torben Vestergaard Frandsen, but over the years in partnership with the Carter Center, Rob Fleuren from Holland and Moshe Frommer from Israel, the Lifestraw has emerged from work designed to make water filters capable of safeguarding against Guinea Worm. The final product of that work, the, LifeStraw, is claimed to do much more than the original concept and positive test results have been achieved on tap, turbid and saline water against common waterborne bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus.

LifeStraw requires no electrical power or spare parts.

A FEW NOTES on the Claims made for the Life Straw provided by Rotary Club Of Warrington.

LifeStraw filters up to 700 litres of water and effectively removes most of the micro organisms responsible for causing waterborne diseases.

LifeStraw kills disease causing micro organisms which spread diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and Cholera.

LifeStraw has been tested by independent and qualified research laboratories.

LifeStraw contains PuroTech Disinfecting Resin (PDR) – a patented, extraordinarily effective material that kills bacteria on contact. Textile pre-filters are used in the LifeStraw to remove particles up to 15 microns. Active carbon withholds particles such as parasites.

The level of bacteria in the water will be reduced to levels that will provide water safe for human consumption. ‘Safe’ implies water from which any health risk is minimal. The particulate removal suggests that the number of any parasitic ova in raw water will also be reduced significantly. The released amount of iodine in water treated from LifeStraw is not normally damaging to human health. However, people having thyroid problems and allergic reaction to iodine must seek medical advice before using this tool.

Lifespan of the LifeStraw is claimed as one year from the start of usage (calculation based on consumption of 2 litre water per day) or 700 liters. Use beyond expiry will not deteriorate existing water quality.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) default levels for the quantities of drinking water (reference to WHO drinking water quality guidelines Third edition 2004, Annex III), are: For a 10 kg child, 1 litre water per day – thus 700 days tool For a 60 kg adult, 2 litre water per day – thus a 350 days tool

Adults and children of any age can use the LifeStraw, provided they have capacity to suck water

First time users are advised to spit out the first couple of mouthfuls (40 ml) as a small amount of harmless black carbon water will be expelled on initial use. First time users may find it difficult to start sucking. This is because a natural brake on the flow of water has been put into the LifeStraw, as a controlled flow between 100 ml to 150 ml per minute is needed to get the maximum benefit of the bacteria killing effect.

At regular intervals, it is recommended to blow out the last mouthful of water as well as some air through the LifeStraw. This will clean the pre-filters of whatever sand, silt and debris that might have got stuck in the textile filters.

It is expected that continuously drinking saline water through the LifeStraw would reduce effective life to 350 litres.

It is not recommended that you share your LifeStraw with others. Any outside contamination of the LifeStraw will not be compensated by inside purification.

About 15 members of the Farnborough Rotary Club met at the Farnborough Airshow to have breakfast with fellow Rotarians from America.

One of our hosts was Mel Crosier from Arlington Texas, who gave a very warm welcome.

In the picture from left to right…Thomas Kallman (our main host) Rotary Club Ridgewood New Jersey, Sean Usher Farnborough Rotary club, Mel Crosier Sunrise rotary club Arlington Texas, Kevin Holmes from Rushmoor rotary club and Kevin Flannagan from Glastonbury Connecticut.

We had an American style  breakfast, which was a little unusual for us Brits, with chocolate brownies, hot dogs, smoothies and other delicacies.

We plan to meet again in two years when the Airshow comes back in 2012

(Picture Graham Thomas)

This is a news piece from Rotary International’s  Site for the UK and Ireland

RIBI launches Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) is launching an appeal for donations to help rebuild the thousands of lives shattered by the Haitian earthquake.

RIBI President, David Fowler is calling for contributions, which have so far helped victims of the Australia bush fire, the 2007 Flood Appeal and the Boxing Day Tsunami. The gifts will be used to provide long-term and sustainable support for the earthquake survivors.

David said: “700 ShelterBoxes* have already been despatched to the disaster zone, providing tents, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils to the victims.

“To keep this relief effort going, Rotary members are mobilising to raise funds, make donations and help in any way that they can. We are receiving offerings which will support the relief effort and enable victims to reclaim their lives.

“It is too early to tell just how long it will take to recover from this natural disaster. Haiti has been battered by storms previously and much of the population is impoverished. Rotary members from the six Rotary clubs in Haiti are working together and, in some cases, providing shelter for others in their damaged homes. This is where Rotary plays to its strengths.”

(*Click to see Sky News video about ShelterBox’s response.)

Any donations should be sent to:
RIBI Donations Trust
c/o Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland
Kinwarton Road
Alcester
B49 6PB

Please make cheques payable to RIBI Donations Trust and clearly mark your envelope with Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

If you would like to Gift Aid your donation, please download the Gift Aid Form.